Blue Cat had dinner at Village Inn on Wednesday – it was, after all, Free Pie Wednesday. And this is what he saw on his plate:
This got him thinking about what constitutes “meaningful work.” He’s been reading a lot about how people crave doing something “meaningful” – but most of what’s written defines “meaningful” as “solving big or pressing problems” like poverty, inequality, and disease. So, you might think that working at a restaurant like Village Inn is for people who are just looking for a job, and surely aren’t doing “meaningful” work,
Blue Cat disagrees. Look at how this meal was presented – in a cool way that brought a smile to the face of at least one diner. And the meal tasted really good, too! What could be more meaningful than lightening the mood of someone after a really hard day and helping them have a good meal? That’s true value – something to feel good about.
So the next time you think your job isn’t important, or doesn’t have real meaning (like saving the rainforest or ending world hunger), remember that any job (like cooking at Village Inn) can be meaningful. It just depends on how you view it and how you do it.
Your job has meaning – you may just have to think about it. So ponder away – and then let Blue Cat know how what you do helps others and makes at least your part of the world a better place.
© William P. Doyle, Jr. 2012 All rights reserved
Blue Cat's View 